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Monday, February 2, 2015

RDC creates TWG that would fast-track relocation and resettlement of informal settler families in Manila Bay area

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga-Regional Development Council (RDC) has created a technical working group (TWG) on housing that would fast-track relocation and resettlement of informal settler families (ISFs) in Manila Bay area.

“This move is pursuant to the Supreme Court mandamus in December 2008 which ordered selected government agencies to clean up, rehabilitate, and eventually preserve Manila Bay through an operational plan that has a timeline of up to 2017,” RDC Vice Chair and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Regional Director Severino Santos said.

In Central Luzon, the Manila Bay area covers the provinces of Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and Tarlac.

“The TWG shall be chaired by Department of Interior and Local Government with NEDA, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, National Housing Authority and the provincial governments of those within the area as members,” Santos added.

Figures from DPWH show that there are about 15,200 ISFs living along major river systems in Region 3.

RDC 3 is the highest policy-making body in Central Luzon and serves as the counterpart of the NEDA Board at the subnational level.

It is the primary institution that coordinates and sets the direction of all economic and social development efforts in the region and serves as a forum where local efforts can be related and integrated with national development activities.

Council members include all governors, city mayors, municipal mayors of capital towns, presidents of municipal mayors’ league, regional directors of national government agencies and representatives from the private sector. (Carlo Lorenzo J. Datu)